For a still unclear reason, a group of three Israeli settlers crossed the military checkpoint and entered the village of Betunia at around midday on Friday. The settlers were quickly followed by the army, which positioned itself first near the road that leads from the checkpoint to Ramallah, persistently moving into the outskirts of the town. Betunia is located in Area A, meaning that, officially, the Palestinian Authority has ultimate security control in the area and the Israeli army is not supposed to enter it.   

Clashed near Beitunia, 14.10.2011. Picture Credit: Oren Ziv/Activestills

The soldiers and Border Police officers used tear-gas projectiles and rubber coated bullets to push the local youth back into the village, igniting clashes that lasted until sunset. During the clashes an Israeli cameraman was shot in sternum with a rubber bullet from a distance of about 10 meters. He was evacuated by an ambulance the hospital.

Video from the Demonstration in solidarity with prisoners, 11.10.2011

A large rally in solidarity with the striking political prisoners was held in the town on Tuesday, October 11. The rally was joined by parents and relatives of prisoners and demonstrators held pictures of the captives and chanted slogans, hoping that prisoners inside the adjacent Ofer prison would be able to hear them. Several minutes after the demonstration commenced, the army and Border Police began attacking the demonstration with tear-gas canisters and rubber bullets shot directly at the protesters.A large number of protesters were injured, and a few suffered asphyxia due to gas inhalation. The new sound arm, also known as “The Scream,” was also used.